Background: Previous research has highlighted children’s frequent exposure to advertisements of unhealthy food and beverages on television. However, the food industry is increasingly utilising non-broadcast channels such as outdoor advertising (e.g., billboards, bus shelters, shop fronts) for product marketing. Few studies have investigated children’s how 'obesogenic' the outdoor food marketing environment is around primary and secondary schools. This study aimed to quantify the presence and content of outdoor food advertisements within a 500m radius of primary and secondary schools in Perth, Western Australia.
Methods: The INFORMAS protocol for monitoring outdoor advertising around child-serving institutions was used. The area within a 500m radial buffer of 64 Perth schools selected using random sampling within population density and socio-economic strata was audited by trained research staff for all outdoor advertisements in July-December 2019.
Results: In total, 5636 outdoor advertisements were identified within a 500m radius of all 64 schools combined and 30% were for food. Of the 1708 food advertisements, 74% were for unhealthy (non-core) food. The most frequently advertised food products were alcohol, fast-food and sugar sweetened beverages. Only 8% of food advertisements featured a healthy product. Schools had on-average 27 food advertisements within 500m (range 0-190). Schools in lower socio-economic areas had more food advertisements and a significantly higher proportion of unhealthy food advertisements within 250m.
Conclusion: Outdoor advertising around schools constitutes a frequent source of children’s exposure to unhealthy food and alcohol advertising. Policy interventions restricting the content of outdoor food advertising near schools are needed and could be a useful strategy in the fight against childhood obesity.